FAQ

1. Burn-In (Break-In) Period
Like every audio or video cable, Harmonic Technology cables require a certain burn-in period. However, unlike many other cables on the market (which are “bright”), Harmonic Technology cables require only 24 ~ 36 hours of playing time to begin sounding great and 100 hours of full break-in to reach optimal performance. Just like a fine wine, results improve over time. Even with these requirements, many of our customers have mentioned that Harmonic Technology cables are the best sounding cables they have ever had in their systems, even right out of the box.

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2. Locking RCA Plugs
Our locking RCA plugs allow contact tension to be adjusted to make audible changes in sound quality and/or image focus by either tightening or loosening the outer barrel of the RCA plug. This effect may be system-dependent, so it is recommended to experiment with the adjustments to achieve the best results. To begin, loosen the outer barrel of the plug by rotating it counter-clockwise several turns, which removes the tension on the ground sleeve of the RCA plug. Next, twist the outer barrel clockwise until you feel the tension becoming tight. At this point, the small adjustments in tension will become audibly and/or visibly noticeable when your system is transparent enought to allow the change to be heard and/or seen.

Please note that our XLR plugs do not allow this tightening feature. However, the balanced operation of the signal and ground conductors results in the best shielding, which permits long interconnect runs that greatly minimizes noise and distortion.
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3. Warm-Up Time
Similar to an automobile engine, Harmonic Technology cables require both a break-in and a warm-up period because they are extremely sensitive and transparent. If your previous cables were so colored that you could not hear a difference after break-in, then they probably were not completely transparent or your system may include a component that is veiling the overall sound. Each time you play your system, you will notice a remarkable increase in smoothness and body after a few minutes, especially if you have reinserted the cables into your system or physically moved them.

If you wish to evaluate Harmonic Technology cables before they are fully broken in, you may hear a slightly leaner sound that you are generally accustomed to because the full weight and body of the sound will not be apparently until the molecules of the metal are settled. In addition, the free radical electrons in both the signal path and the surface of the dialetric must be “pushed” out of the way by the signal flow until the path is cleared.
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4. Orientation
For optimal performance, we recommend you orient the interconnects at a 90 degree angle to the a.c. power cords.

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5. Contact Enhancers
We recommend you thoroughly clean all contact surfaces of all connections (including audio and video interconnects, loudspeaker cables and power cords) once every few months with a contact cleaner (such as Caig’s DeoxIT), in order to eliminate any potential surface oxidation. We also recommend the use of a contact enhancer (such as Torumat’s TC-2 or Caig’s ProGold) on all contact surfaces before installation of your Harmonic Technology cables. A better electrical contact will result in smoother high frequencies and a three-dimensional sound field, with the air and image float being fully apparent.
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